In Case You Missed It... Congress Passes VA Budget in Omnibus

Over the weekend, Congress passed an omnibus federal budget for FY2010, which included $109.6 billion for VA.

While AMVETS leaders were happy to see that the VA will have the funding it needs for the year, AMVETS came far short of applauding Congress for delaying the budget's passage by more than 74 days.

Stars & Stripes reporter Leo Shane broke down the FY2010 VA budget in a recent posting on the Stripes Central blog. This year's VA budget is the first to include advance health care funding for FY2011--a provision AMVETS has advocated for for more than a decade. To read Shane's posting, Click Here.

AMVETS leaders were, however, excited about the conference version of the Department of Education budget, which passed as part of the omnibus package. This year's DOE budget included $6 million in funding for a pilot program commissioning federal grants for student-veterans' "centers of excellence" on college campuses nationwide--one of AMVETS' top legislative priorities since the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill was passed into law in 2008.

To learn more about AMVETS' work on the student-vets' centers issue, Click Here.

(Photo: Stock image of the U.S. Capitol Building from spring 2009 by Ryan Gallucci.)

UPDATE: Senate Passes VA Budget

This afternoon, the Senate passed the FY2010 Military Construction and VA budget by a vote of 100-0. AMVETS leaders have been calling on Congress to work out the details in the VA budget for weeks, since the Oct. 1 due date lapsed.

"This marks the 20th time in the last 23 years that the VA budget has been delivered late, further reinforcing why the recent signing of advance appropriations for VA health care was so critical," said AMVETS National Legislative Director Ray Kelley. "Now, even when politics stalls the process, our veterans' care will not suffer at the same time."

Last month, President Obama signed the Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act of 2009 into law, authorizing Congress to finance VA health care one year in advance. The FY2010 VA budget will be the first to contain advance appropriations for the following fiscal year.

The Senate version of the VA/MilCon budget includes $133.9 billion to fund VA. With the addition of Senate amendments, the budget will now go to conference before Congress votes on a final version to send to the President. Check back with American Veteran Online for updates on this year's VA budget process.

(Photo: Stock image of the U.S. Capitol Building from Nov. 2009 by Ryan Gallucci.)

This Week at American Veteran

This week at American Veteran, we will follow AMVETS National Headquarters staff at the first VA/DoD mental health summit, taking place this afternoon at the Capitol Hilton in Washington. The summit, hosted by VA Secretary Eric Shinseki, will be the first of its kind bringing together experts from various government agencies, the health care sector, and veterans' advocates such as AMVETS to discuss treatment models for service members, veterans and their families.

This week, we will also publish the latest issue of American Veteran magazine. We apologize for any delays, but we know you will enjoy the fall issue. As always, we're constantly looking for stories from posts and departments around the country. Though we're restricted in how many we can publish in our quarterly print issues, American Veteran is eager to publish more local stories on American Veteran Online.

Next, AMVETS leaders have started planning for the 2010 21st Century Veterans Symposium, which will take place at the AMVETS National Convention in Louisville. This symposium will be the follow-up to AMVETS' 2006 symposium on the needs of young veterans, bringing in veterans from across the country to discuss issues, potential solutions and to update the 2006 symposium report. More details will become available over the next few months.

Finally, American Veteran Online will continue to follow the FY2010 budget process for VA, which remains stalled in Congress. The VA budget has now been delivered late 20 out of the last 23 years. With last week's historic signing of the Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act of 2009, authorizing advance appropriations, the veterans' community has shifted focus to ensuring that this year's budget passes quickly. The FY2010 budget will be the first to include advance funding for the following year's VA health care.

Check back throughout the week with American Veteran Online for updates.

AMVETS, Nation's Top VSOs at the White House for Historic Bill Signing

AMVETS National Commander Duane Miskulin looked on this afternoon alongside leaders from the nation's other top veterans' organizations, VA Secretary Eric Shinseki, and Congressional leaders as President Barack Obama signed the Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act of 2009 into law. To read AMVETS' official statement on today's signing, Click Here. Below are two more photos and official White House video from this afternoon.



(Video: Full video of the White House signing ceremony. Courtesy of the White House.)


(President Obama signs the bill into law as Congressional leaders look on. Photo by Ryan Gallucci.)

(Cmdr. Miskulin presents VA Secretary Shinseki with an AMVETS National Commander's pen following the signing ceremony. Photo by Ryan Gallucci.)

Cmdr. Miskulin also spoke with Stars & Stripes about the significance of advance appropriations legislation. To read the Stripes story, Click Here.

(Top photo: President Obama addresses guests and media assembled in the East Room at the White House for today's advance appropriations signing ceremony. AMVETS National Commander Miskulin, in the traditional gold cap, looks on along with other distinguished guests on the podium. Photo by Ryan Gallucci.)

AMVETS National Commander to Join President Obama for Advance Appropriations Signing

This afternoon AMVETS National Commander Duane Miskulin will be on hand at the White House, where President Obama plans to sign VA advance appropriations into law. Today's signing marks the culmination of 13 years of hard work by AMVETS through the Partnership for Veterans Health Care Budget Reform.

Advance appropriations will finally allow Congress to provide sufficient, timely, and predictable funding for VA health care.

Check back with American Veteran Online throughout the afternoon for updates from the White House on this monumental occasion.

AMVETS National Commander Visits With Leaders on Capitol Hill

For the last two days, AMVETS National Commander Duane Miskulin has been meeting with leaders in the Senate and House committees on Veterans Affairs on Capitol Hill. Yesterday, Miskulin met with Senate Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii) and Ranking Member Richard Burr (R-N.C.), hand-delivering a copy of AMVETS' 2010 legislative agenda to each senator.

Today, following a quick meeting with Veterans Affairs Committee Ranking Member Steve Buyer (R-Indiana), Miskulin delivered remarks during a special memorandum signing in the Cannon House Office Building between VA and U.S. Paralympics, codifying a new partnership to assist wounded veterans in achieving their athletic aspirations.

Miskulin thanked VA and U.S. Paralympics for the new partnership, stressing the need for such a program to call attention to the positive rehabilitative tools available to our wounded troops.

U.S. Paralympian wounded warriors were on hand alongside VA Secretary Eric Shinseki, VA Assistant Secretary for Pubic and Intergovernmental Affairs Tammy Duckworth, U.S. Paralympic officials, members of Congress, and veterans' organizations including AMVETS.

Though today's meetings were cut short to participate in the announcement, Miskulin plans to once again meet with Buyer and House Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Bob Filner (D-Calif.) in the coming weeks to discuss AMVETS' legislative agenda in greater detail.

Tomorrow afternoon, Miskulin will be at the White House where President Obama plans to sign advance appropriations for VA health care into law. For AMVETS and the Partnership for Veterans Health Care Budget Reform, tomorrow's signing will mark the culmination of 13 years of work to overhaul the VA funding mechanism, assuing sufficient, timely and predictable funding for the VA.

Check back tomorrow afternoon with American Veteran Online for updates from the White House.

(Photo: AMVETS National Commander Duane Miskulin alongside Sen. Daniel Akaka during yesterday's visit to Capitol Hill, outlining AMVETS' legislative agenda for 2010. Photo courtesy of Sen. Akaka. Members of Congress, VA officials, and veterans' organization leaders, including Miskulin, stand for a photo with the signatories of the agreement, Norman Bellingham of U.S. Paralympics, Secretary Shinseki, and Paralympic veteran Scott Winkler. Photo by Emerson Sanders courtesy of VA.)

This Week at American Veteran

This week at American Veteran, we will continue to follow the progress of H.R. 1610, the bill authorizing advance appropriations for VA health care. Last week, the bill quickly passed the Senate and now waits for a signature from President Obama. Check back regularly for updates.

As the veterans' community waits for a signature on the landmark bill, Congress continues to hash out the VA's budget for FY2010, which was due before Oct. 1. This marks the 20th time in 23 years that Congress has failed to deliver the budget on time, further demonstrating the need for advance appropriations. AMVETS leaders will continue to push Congress to pass the budget quickly. Today, the VA is operating on continuing resolutions.

This week, American Veteran will also continue to follow implementation of the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill and the delays student-veterans have been experiencing around the country. Last week, Keith Wilson, VBA director of education services, testified before Congress that the department may not be caught up on claims until some time in December, raising concerns for AMVETS that veterans may face additional hardships as a result, whether it is through enrollment issues or additional strains on personal finances.

Last week, AMVETS received word that despite the success of VA's emergency check program, tensions continue to mount among student-veterans who are starting to lose faith in the system. AMVETS will continue to reach out to the student-veterans' community to restore confidence in the new G.I. Bill, which offers unprecedented educational opportunities for student-veterans.

AMVETS leaders remain confident that the delays experienced this semester only represent initial implementation hiccups that will be sorted our in the short term.

Finally this week, American Veteran Online will also post additional Keeping Posted content from around the country, highlighting the work of AMVETS posts nationwide. If you have something you would like us to highlight on the blog, please let us know. And as always, check back regularly for updates.

Senate Passes Advance Appropriations

Late last night, the Senate unanimously passed advance appropriations for VA health care by a voice vote. The measure, which was included in the House bill H.R. 1016, will allow Congress to pass a budget for VA health care one year in advance. The bill is expected to be signed by President Barack Obama shortly. Military Times reported on the bill's passage this morning.

AMVETS leaders called the Senate's passage a major victory for the veterans' community and the culmination of years of hard work. AMVETS has been pushing Congress to overhaul the VA funding mechanism for more than a decade as a member of the Partnership for Veterans Health Care Budget Reform.

Stars & Stripes quoted AMVETS on the potential benefits on advance appropriations for the average veteran.

Now, only one step remains to making timely, predictable and sufficient VA funding a reality. Check back regularly with American Veteran Online for updates.

(Photo: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi signs H.R. 1610 to send to President Obama while House Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Bob Filner and VA Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Chet Edwards and leaders from the nation's top VSOs look on. Photo courtesy of Disabled American Veterans.)